The ability to produce key additive manufacturing powders more efficiently and increased expertise in the field of animal testing are just two of BIOMET4D’s new capabilities following the expansion of its consortium over the past 12 months.

2024 saw two new partners join the project team: RWTH Aachen University Hospital in Germany, and Polish additive manufacturing company and world leader in ultrasonic technologies AMAZEMET.

The new additions to the BIOMET4D consortium join existing partners IMDEA Materials Institute (coordinator), the Technical University of Madrid, Aerosint, Meotec, the University of Galway and the Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute.

Aachen University Hospital’s addition to the project was a natural fit given the preexisting connections between the institution and BIOMET4D researcher, Dr. Nadja Kröger.

Dr. Kröger previously studied her Master’s degree at the university hospital and was well acquainted with its research capabilities, most importantly via its Bio-Medical Engineering Cluster.

“Due to the fact that the project is approaching the animal testing phase, the collaboration with Aachen made sense given its extensive expertise is this area,” said Dr. Kröger.

“This collaboration with the university hospital will help us translate novel self-expanding lattices into clinical application, ensuring biocompatibility and establishing the first proof of concept in an animal model”.

The Polish based AMAZEMET, who have joined the project through Horizon Europe’s Hop on Facility,  brings cutting-edge expertise in ultrasonic atomisation and processing in the field of additive manufacturing (3D printing) to BIOMET4D.

The company’s role will focus on improving the powder quality of the magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) alloys which will be used to 3D print the implants over the course of the project.

It will do this through a newly developed ultrasonic atomisation process, which will result in higher yield, reducing waste in the conversion process and increasing efficiency in producing powders with the desired particle size range.

AMAZEMET also hopes to develop an air classification system to separate the mixed Mg and Zn alloy powders resulting from the multi-material printing planned throughout the rest of the BIOMET4D project, to enable their recycling.

BIOMET4D coordinator, Dr. Jennifer Patterson from IMDEA Materials Institute, said that she welcomed the latest additions to the project.

“The inclusion of RWTH Aachen University Hospital and AMAZEMET bolsters the BIOMET4D consortium’s interdisciplinary approach, combining engineering, clinical expertise, and advanced manufacturing to achieve revolutionary breakthroughs,” she said.

Find out more about the BIOMET4D project here.

BIOMET4D has received funding from the EIC Pathfinder under grant agreement No 101047008. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the EISMEA can be held responsible for them.